Drying rack for brassieres



July 17, 1956 G, SCHUMACHER 2,755,004

DRYING RACK FOR BRASSIERES Filed Sept. 13, 1955 'WIWH MEF' HFFF kaiiai' Y Q IN VEN TOR.

GZADYS Z. saw/144mm States Uit ztssnat Patented July 17, 1956 ice DRYING RACK FOR BRASSIERES Gladys Lucile Schumacher, Ceresco, Mich.

Application September 13, 1955, Serial No. 533,927

3 Claims. (Cl. 223-66) This invention relates to a drying rack or frame, on which one or more brassieres may be supported, in such a manner as to be dried without Wrinkles or creases, on a form which supports the brassiere in the shape assumed thereby when the brassiere is being Worn.

Ordinarily, a brassiere, after laundering of the same, is dried by suspending the same from a clothes line, bar, or the like. Under these circumstances, of course, the brassiere is not maintained in the shape which it has when being worn, and after the drying, it is necessary that the brassiere be ironed before it can be Worn.

The ironing of the brassiere is not only a somewhat tiresome, time-consuming activity, but further, has a destructive effect on the brassiere, particularly on the breast cups thereof.

In view of the above, it is proposed to provide a drying rack formed wholly from wire material covered with rubber or a similar relatively soft surfacing material that will not tend to discolor or damage the brassieres. The form is sodesigned as to permit one or more brassieres to be supported thereupon, with said brassieres being tensioned upon the form so that all surfaces thereof, including the shoulder strap, side straps, and breast cups, are stretched out smoothly, in the exact form and relative arrangement that the same would be disposed in when the brassiere is being Worn. By reason of this arrangement, it is proposed to effect the drying of the brassieres in such a manner that when the dried articles are removed, they need not be ironed or pressed, and are ready for wear.

Another object of importance is to provide a device of the type stated which will be so designed as to expose the maximum area of the brassiere to the drying effect of the surrounding air, both on the inner and outer surfaces of the breast cups, side straps, and shoulder straps, thus to effect the rapid drying of the same.

Another object of importance is to provide a drying frame of the type referred to wherein the use of wire material for the purpose of forming all components of the frame will provide a light, inexpensive drying frame, with the wire material being provided with a novel arrangement of convolutions, spirals, and bends, to impart the final shape to the form and, hence, any brassiere dried thereupon. In thisregard, the portion of the drying rack which is adapted to extend into each of the breast cups to hold the same extended is composed of wires formed into a spiralling coil, with said portions tapering forwardly of the frame so as to cause all portions of the convolutions to bear against the inner surface of the associated breast cup, ina manner toassure that the breast cup will be. held in a properly filled out position, to promote the speedy drying of the same.

Yet another object of importance is to provide a side wall on the frame which will be composed of a single length of wire material having reversely bent, closely spaced convolutions extending in an up and down direction, with the top edge of the side wall being indented to receive the breast cup supporting portions of the device, said side wall being particularly shaped to permit tensioning of the side straps of the brassiere thereabout.

Other objects are to provide a drying rack of the type stated that will be adapted to receive brassieres of different sizes, will support and permit drying of the brassieres in a manner that will add measurably to the life and appearance of the brassieres, will support the brassieres firmly Without possibility of slippage of the same, will support any of various types of brassieres, such as strapless, etc., and will be capable of manufacture at relatively low cost, considering the benefits to be obtained from the use thereof.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claims appended thereto, and from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a drying rack formed according to the present invention, a supported brassiere being illustrated fragmcntarily in association therewith;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the drying rack and supported brassiere;

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view on line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional View on line 44 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the drying frame includes a base or bottom ring 10 formed from a single length of wire material disposed, when the device is in use, in a horizontal plane upon a suitable support surface, the ends of the length of wire being welded or otherwise fixedly connected and the ring in its final shape being approximately oblong in outer configuration.

A side wall is provided upon the frame, generally designated at 12, and comprises a single length of wire formed with vertically elongated portions of inverted U-shape alternating with portions of a U-shape, with the legs of each the first named portions being common to the adjacent legs of the second named portions disposed at either side thereof. The height of the several portions of inverted U-shape varies over the periphery of the side wall, as will be noted from Figures 1 and 2, so that the top edge of the side wall, defined by the bight parts of the inverted U-shaped portion, is indented along curving lines at the front of the device, at opposite sides of the midwidth point of the front part of the side wall, for mounting of the breast cup supports therein. At opposite sides of the drying rack, the top edge of the frame ascends toward the back part of the side wall, and the side wall is of substantially uniform height fully across the back of the drying rack. Further, as will be noted from Figure 2, the side Wall flares in a direction upwardly from the base ring.

The bight parts of the- U-shaped portions of the side wall are spot welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the bottom ring, and to provide a continuous top edge on the sides and back of the drying frames, one end of the length of wire used in providing the side wall 12 is extended, after all the convolutions have been formed in the wire, in contact With the bight part of the inverted U-shaped'portions disposed at the sides and back of the frame, and is spot welded to said last named bight parts.

To provide breast cup supports, another length of wire is used, having an upwardly bowed midlength part 16 disposed medially between opposite sides of the drying frame, at the front of the side wall. The end portions of the length of wire used in forming the breast cup supports are spirally coiled as at 18, with the extremities of said length of wire terminating in small loops 20 at the center points of the breast cup supports.

As shown in Figure 2, the coils are not only extended in steadily decreasing convolutions terminating ultimately at the center loop 20, but also are extended forwardly from the side wall, so as to provide breast cup supports which will be of forwardly projecting, rounded shape, adapted to fit snugly within the breast cups of the brassiere B supported upon the drying frame in such a manner as to fill out the breast cups, and lightly tension the same over the supports in a manner that will make subsequent ironing unnecessary.

The outermost convolutions of each breast cup support, as shown in Figure 1, is in contact with the bight parts of the inverted U-shaped portions of the side wall at the front of the drying frame, and will be spot welded thereto.

Shoulder strap supports are also included in the drying frame, and comprise a single length of wire the midlength part of which is formed to a U-shape so as to provide a bight part welded to the back wall medially between opposite sides of the drying frame, and upwardly diverging legs 22. Legs 22 at their upper ends merge into outwardly extending, approximately horizontal portions of the back strap supports, said portions each being formed with a downwardly indented part 24 providing a recess for the associated shoulder strap of the brassiere. The ends of the length of wire used in providing the shoulder strap supports have been designated at 26, and are curved inwardly, after which they are extended at an incline in contact with the inner surface of the side wall. At opposite sides of said side wall (see Figure 2), the end portions are welded or otherwise fixedly secured at their lower ends to the base ring 10.

As will be noted from Figure 2, the transversely spaced shoulder strap supports project upwardly and slightly outwardly from the back part of the side wall, to a height substantially above that of the breast cup supports. As a result, when a brassiere B is placed upon the drying frame, the shoulder straps can be tensioned over the shoulder strap supports, Within the recesses 24, said shoulder straps being designated at 32 while the breast cup has been designated at 30. The brassiere also includes back straps 34, and these are extended in contact with the outer surface of the side wall, about the sides and back of the drying frame, with the back straps of the brassiere being connected at the back of the drying frame.

The construction preferably incorporates use of a soft rubber covering for the several wires, and as shown in Figure 3, the rubber covering 28 is coated upon the wires, with said covering coating any pair of adjacent, contacting wires such as those shown in Figure 4. The coating can be sprayed on, and is designed to prevent corrosion of the wires resulting in discoloration of the supported brassiere or brassieres. Further, the coating protects the brassieres, eliminating sharp points or other surfaces that might tend to tear or otherwise damage the supported articles.

The construction is such as to permit brassieres of various breast cup sizes and types to be supported for drying. For example, a strapless brassiere may be dried upon the device, in which event the shoulder strap supports would not be in use. The back straps of the strapless brassierc would, of course, be tensioned about the side wall in the same manner as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Further, brassieres of different breast cup sizes can be tensioned about the garment frame, it being merely necessary to tension the breast cups over the breast cup supports in the same manner as previously described. Adjustments in the shoulder strap lengths can be made if necessary, or alternatively, the shoulder strap supports can be bent forwardly or rearwardly according to the desires of the particular user.

It is believed apparent that the invention is not necessarily confined to the specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may be utilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the invention to be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated and described, since such construction is only intended to be illustrative of the principles, it being considered that the invention comprehends any minor change in construction that may be permitted within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A drying rack for brassieres comprising a side wall formed from a length of wire material having upstanding, vertically elongated convolutions; a pair of breast cup supports comprising lengths of wire spirally coiled and projecting forwardly from the side wall; and a length of wire material projecting upwardly from the side wall at the back of the frame and having transversely spaced, substantially horizontal portions over which the shoulder straps of a brassiere may be extended, the side wall being adapted to provide a surface about which the hack straps of said brassiere may be tensioned.

2. A drying frame for brassieres comprising a first length of wire material formed in the shape of an approximately oblong, horizontally disposed base ring; a second length of wire material formed with upstanding inverted U-shaped portions alternating with U-shaped portions to provide a side wall, said side wall being secured along its lower edge to the base ring and extending through the full circumference of the base ring, the side wall at the front part thereof having transversely spaced, curved indentations; a third length of wire having its end portions formed into spiralling, forwardly projecting convolutions, said end portions of the third length of wire material being engaged in said indentations of the side wall and being adapted to provide breast cup supports for a brassiere the side straps of which are tensioned about said side wall; and a fourth length of wire material projecting upwardly from the side wall and ti e back part thereof and having horizontally spaced parts indented to receive the shoulder straps of said brassiere.

3. A drying frame for brassieres comprising a first length of wire material formed in the shape of an approximately oblong, horizontally disposed base ring; a second length of wire material formed with upstanding inverted U-shaped portions alternating with U-shaped portions to provide a side wall, said side wall being secured along its lower edge to the base ring and extending through the full circumference of the base ring, the side wall at the front part thereof having transversely spaced, curved indentations; a third length of wire having its end portions formed into spiralling, forwardly projecting convolutions, said end portions of the third length of wire material being engaged in said indentations of the side wall and being adapted to provide breast cup supports for a brassiere the side straps of which are tensioned about said side wall; and a fourth length of wire material projecting upwardly from the side wall and the back part thereof and having horizontally spaced parts indented to receive the shoulder straps of said brassiere, said last named length of wire material having a V-shapcd intermediate portion merging into said horizontally spaced parts, and having end portions extending downwardly from said horizontally spaced parts and connected to the side wall at opposite sides of the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 136,068 Sweden June 10, 1952 

